Comparison of periprocedural and mid-term stroke rates and outcomes between surgical aortic valve replacement and transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients

We compared stroke occurrence and outcomes between Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), both periprocedural and at follow-up.From March 2012 to December 2014, 391 consecutive patients underwent TAVR (N.=290) or isolated SAVR (N.=101), concomitantly. Patients' data were prospectively collected.TAVR patients had more comorbidities. One (0.34%) TIA and 9 (3.11%) strokes occurred in-hospital following TAVR, but no cerebrovascular event occurred after SAVR (P=0.11). One stroke (0.99%) and one TIA (0.99%) were detected in SAVR group within 30 days. Among TAVR patients, one (0.75%) stroke at 6 months, 2 (1.9%) strokes and 2 (1.9%) TIAs at 12 months were diagnosed. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that 96% and 99% 12-month CVA free survival following TAVR and SAVR, respectively (P=0.67). Preoperative mean trans-aortic valve systolic pressure gradient higher than 40 mmHg remained as risk factor for stroke in TAVR patients only, OR: 4.48 (CI: 1.2-16.54, P=0.02). One intraoperative death, and 5 (4 with CVA) in-hospital deaths occurred after TAVR; whereas only one patient died in SAVR group (P=0.49). Thirty-day mortality was 3.8% (11/290) for TAVR and 0.99% (1/101) for SAVR patients. SAVR patients' survival was 99% at 6 months, 97.9% at 12, and 96.4% at 24 months, whereas survival in TAVR was 97.5% at 6, 92% at 12, and 73.6% at 24 months (HR: 8.43 (CI: 2.47-28.73), P<0.001).Even with significant differences in patients' baseline characteristics; in-hospital and mid-term stroke rates are not significantly higher following TAVR than SAVR. Although periprocedural stroke is not uncommon in TAVR, mid-term stroke rate is low.